VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF 2,3,7,8 TCDD (DIOXIN)

Many national and international agencies and institutes have studied the health effects of exposure to 2,4,5-T and 2,3,7,8 TCDD. Also individual scientists have also performed reviews of the scientific literature. Unsurprisingly there is not 100% agreement on each and every health effect, threshold level, and final outcome of exposures. This is due to differences in human response to simialr exposures as well as confounding factors such as prior unknown exposures, different lifestyles, genetic background and overall prior level of health. Studies include both experimental animal studies with controlled doses and then extrapolations to humans as well as epidemiological studies looking at past human exposures. There have been world wide a number of catastrophes and exposures with the whole gamut of minor to horrific health effects following.

The literature reviewed by the Fact-Finding Panel in Ontario indicated a number of possible diseases caused by exposure to 2,4,5-T and 2,3,7,8 TCDD,. In total they include cancer, heart disease, neurological conditions, reproductive and immunological conditions, endocrine function and skin conditions. Some of these better known reports and studies include

IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) Three studies in 1977, 1987 and 1997. The first was inconclusive, the second linked chlorophenoxy herbicides, including 2,4,5-T, to soft tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin disease. The 1997 study stated that 2,3,7,7 TCDD was carcinogenic to humans and caused excesses for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer and all cancers combined.

WHO (World Health Organization) in 2003 examined chlorophenoxy herbicides found in drinking water. They found evidence of associations with miscarriages and birth defects in some but not all studies. They also found limited evidence of an association with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

IOM (Institute of Medicine) is part of the well respected U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). In 2012 in studying Agent Orange and Dioxins they found sufficient evidence of soft tissue sarcoma including heart, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia. They also determined there was sufficient evidence to include Type 2 diabetes and spina bifida as effects. There was only limited evidence of heart disease and hypertension being caused by Agent Orange and dioxins.

NTP (U.S. National Toxicology Program) In a 2011 study they determined that TCDD was a known human carcinogen and caused excesses of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer and in fact all cancers combined.

It is essentially impossible to categorically prove beyond any doubt, ahead of time, that exposure to certain chemicals will sicken and kill human beings. What we should always be aware of is the purpose of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. That purpose is to kill other life forms. In the history of the human species on this planet, there is a terrible irony in our willingness, for profit, to kill other species that allegedly harm mankind; while cheerfully sacrificing a certain number of our own species. For profit.